Outstanding experience ! Worth every penny . The staff was so helpful and kind . After my…read moregrandchildren completed finding their gems . They then took us to a display room where they took their stones and separated them into types. And then gave them an overview of the type of gem as displayed by a finished, cut and polished stone. It was a fun and truly educational experience for all!!!

Amazing customer service ! Great spot to come when it's too cold outside or you want a change of…read morescenery, or your kid loves Dino's or rocks or exploring new activities! It's hands on, the people working are exceptional! Highly recommend!

We have visited numerous gem mining venues in NC and TN with very satisfactory results. These…read morepeople fill their buckets with gravel (not sand) and our experience was that less than 1/2 of 1% contained any rocks not considered gravel, so at 99.5% gravel they are making a lot more money than all the other gem mining operations. Our $129.99 "Gloryhole" bucket was junk literally and in reality. A word to all who read this: AVOID THIS JOINT!!!!!

I came here with my family and we got the big bucket, we got lots of great gems. The value was…read moregreat for the amount of gems we got. I can't wait to go back ! The service was amazing, the people up front were so nice.

We had such a great time and ended up picking up the base ticket that includes: Gravitational…read moreAnomaly, Hall of Mystery, Bubblerama, Native American Artifacts, 2903 Dougherty House & Farmyard, Rodeo Rampage Bull Ride Challenge. It is a really cool place to visit, walking in that gravitational anomaly room is the weirdest sensation I've ever felt, but it is something cool to experience. In the hall of mystery, we literally let our inner child just wander around. And sadly we weren't able to do the bull ride, because of timing. For sure it is a place where you can spend your day in there. They're very hospitable and our tour guide was very funny.

A pretty fun straightforward diversion good for rounding out an afternoon in Blowing Rock. I ended…read moreup coming here on a day trip weekend getaway. I'm originally from Michigan and grew up pretty close to the Mystery Spot in the Upper Peninsula, so I was somewhat familiar with this sort of place. I ended up checking out the "gravitational anomaly" room along with the "Hall of Mysteries" but none of the other stuff. There was also Axe Throwing and some sort of Native American History Museum but didn't see those as I was somewhat pressed for time. There was also somewhat randomly a huge obscure soda collection which was kind of cool. And they also had Vernors which as a former Michigander I appreciated. The "gravitational anomaly " room was pretty cool and is obviously the main focus of this place. There were a few demonstrative tools like a water flow demonstration, a rubber ball on a track that apparently defies gravity and a swingset. The room itself isn't too large and those three things were the only "tools" in there but goofing around in the room on your own is plenty entertaining as you can see from the attached pictures. Beyond that the "Hall of Mysteries" was basically a small section of optical illusions and science demonstrations which was interesting enough but something probably more interesting to and suited to kids. Overall the place is cool but kind of feels like it doesn't know what it's trying to be beyond the "gravity room" and feels like it could use a little update and some more focused development/presentation. If you haven't been before it's probably worth experiencing at least once if you're going to be in the area and have time for it. They also have a Zoltar machine, which is always a plus in my book.

to do. I've never participated in gem mining before. It was a new experience to me, but it was…read morefun. The facility was clean. I wish that they had somebody walking around while you're going through your bucket helping you to decide whether something is truly a gem or just a rock. As I was discovering what gems I had in my bucket I was sorting them in the little trays they gave you. I had questions on some things I wanted to ask about. When I went in the store part, she just dumped everything into one pile. I was not really allowed the opportunity to ask questions I wanted to. She basically just wanted to what was cutable from what was not. It was like she just wanted to go home. I really wish I could've had the opportunity to have questions answered as I was very excited about being able to do this activity. I don't know that I would return to this facility in the future. I think I would try a different one where the staff would be more attentive.

Super super cool activity to do with friends or family!! Went with three friends, we split the $100…read morefamily bucket between us and it was a really good deal for the insane amount of cool stuff we got from it. The whole experience is cool, especially at the end where the lady at the desk examines the gems you found. 100% recommend!!

Our family and friends love the playhouse! It is a haven for young families who need a nice…read moreindoor-outdoor play option. My son loves the July space exhibit that pops up each year! The staff are wonderful and make sure to offer educational experiences for the littles. We just attended a pumpkin pancake cooking class! The directors put love and intention into the programming to make it a special experience for families.

Such a fun place to take the kids! There's a wide variety of activities from arts & crafts to a…read morepretend kitchen and even a rocket ship You can find a sand box in the outdoor area and a really cool wooden "tree house." Go down a level and there's a water play area with a hand water pump. We spent a few hours there, but we could've easily spent an entire day!

High Gravity lies between Blowing Rock and Boone just off highway 321/221 on the Tweetsie Railroad…read moreproperty. Took 9/4 year olds up for a day trip. 4 year old struggles at first with the zip line but the staff there are young and cool so they helped him along. 9 yr old loved the whole thing but wants to go back and do the more challenging course. Swing is a must but under 7 can't go on it. However there is a ninja course next to it they can mess around on while your getting towed up for the swing. Here's my three things: 1) $150+ for 3 for a couple hours so plan accordingly. Check ages and weights for everyone against their online profiles. 2) Snacks and drinks available but limited. 3) They have safes to lock up your valuables while you are on the course. Staff is pretty chill and very safety oriented. Stop by Happy Valley Filling station on the way up or down the mountain if coming up/down 321. Great pizza's and beer!

The staff told us we would just pay the difference between the small course and the big course if…read moreour 12-year-old wanted to upgrade. Our 12-year-old was extremely bored on the small course and we were able to get him off midway through. He did not even complete the course and they still charged us more than just the difference to do the bigger course. They did not advise us that the small course should just be for kids under 8yo as it is extremely basic. They also did not space the kids out well enough and our kids were waiting a long time on the course. Dissatisfied with the organization and customer service.

I am afraid of heights but this was awesome. This was our second time with Sky Valley…read more We love the fact that the two guides give a practice run first, going over all the safety issues and they teach you how to brake. The first three zip lines were also practice runs where the guides had us comfortable on the platforms in the trees. Then the first real big run was Big Mama. What an incredible view. It was 1200 feet long and over 300 feet high. After this first rush, everyone was wanting to keep going. Sky Valley does an excellent job of making everyone feel comfortable and safe.

Love this business so much! My 11 year old and I went on the zip line tour today. I spoke with the…read moreguide at check in because my son was pretty nervous. He was so kind and explained that if he felt uncomfortable at any time we could leave the course. The guides were excellent and made the experience so enjoyable. The views while ziplining are just so beautiful. I'm already planning a trip back with my entire family. Spend a few hours flying through the treetops. I promise you won't regret it.

This turned out to be an extraordinary experience and opportunity. I took the Rio Doce one day…read moreFaceting Class out of curiosity and left with a stunning 14mm (huge) quartz gem, as well as a new appreciation for the time and craftsmanship required to create beautiful gems from materials that start off looking like an ordinary rock. The cut was a round, brilliant and brilliant it was. I learned about the process, made all the facets and then polished it. It was amazing to see the transition and final faceted gem. The class was taught by Elaine, one of the owners. She is a very skilled gemologist, great teacher and very patient. They also offer a one day Cabochon cutting class for beginners and a six week course for the more serious student. If you have the time and interest, I highly recommend this rare opportunity.

i purchased one of their "Rio Doce" buckets which was around $150 I think. It's not on the sign…read moreoutside that's included in the photos. The bucket was all facet grade rough. It's not the highest quality but it's a huge change from you get get out of similarly priced buckets from other rock shops with sluices. They also offer classes in faceting. I'll cover that in my next review. Gotta go!